


a study in itemization

by starsandgutters



Series: Zutara Month 2020: Quarantine Edition [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zutara Month 2020, Zutara Month: Quarantine Edition, canon divergent for a tiny bit at the end, idek if this counts as prose but listen they can't all be winners, just trying something a lil bit different here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24462436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandgutters/pseuds/starsandgutters
Summary: A brief list of things Katara is definitelynotnoticing about Zuko, because she has no interest in looking at him and in fact wishes she would never ever have to lay eyes on him. (Updated over time.)
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zutara Month 2020: Quarantine Edition [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764370
Comments: 6
Kudos: 149





	a study in itemization

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the May 30 prompt, "Without". I struggled a little to create a cohesive story around the prompt, so I thought I'd experiment with something different and write lists of things Katara notices or thinks -- using the word "without" in every item. Hopefully it works!
> 
> Note: Hopefully this will be clear from the text, but each list is meant to kind of go with an episode: the first one around/after "The Western Air Temple", the second one after "The Southern Raiders", the third one around the same time as "The Ember Island Players", and the last one matching up to "Sozin's Comet" pt. 3/4.

* * *

A brief list of things Katara is definitely _not_ noticing because she has no interest in looking at Zuko and in fact wishes she would never ever have to lay eyes on him:

  * How at meals he usually sits aside from the others without speaking, until Sokka or Aang or Toph tell him to join the circle
  * How he thinks it’s acceptable to “tell jokes” without remembering anything but the punchline
  * How he fetches water from the well every morning without being asked
  * How he’s able to walk around without making a sound (she yells at him more than once for it: _What are you doing sneaking around like that?!_ _I’ve got my eye on you!_ )
  * How that one time that Katara wakes up feeling like death, she drags herself to the main terrace well after the sun has risen only to find that Zuko made breakfast _without permission_ to touch her pots
  * How he’s apparently unable to cook _anything_ without spices (yeah, even breakfast)
  * How he always takes her snide comments and sharp words without flinging any barbs back – as if he knew he deserved them. (Good. He _does._ )  
  




* * *

UPDATE

A brief list of things Katara has been thinking about since the trip to find Yon Rha:

  * The fact that Zuko offered her closure because it was the right thing to do, without expecting forgiveness in exchange
  * The fact that he watched her bend a man’s blood without looking at her like a monster
  * The fact that he let her call all the shots, without telling her what to do, without judging her for her decision  
  




* * *

UPDATE 2

An extremely brief list of things Katara knows in her heart to be true:

  * Their little family doesn’t feel _right_ anymore without Zuko around; he has become - surprisingly, undeniably - another essential part of their whole.
  * ~~Zuko looks nice without a shirt  
  
~~



* * *

UPDATE 3

A final list of things Katara has suddenly come to realize:

  * Whatever else Zuko has been to her, he is also the guy who would lay his life down for her without hesitation - and has.
  * Those desperate moments trying to heal him from Azula’s lightning, without any spirit water at hand, were some of the most terrifying of her life.
  * She never wants to imagine being without him again.
  * Ok, so she _may_ have fallen for him without realizing it - what’s your point?!
  * There are some things that you just know are right, without making a pros/cons list.



When she kisses him, she does it without a single doubt in her heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! As usual, catch me on tumblr/twitter @motorbikeadam :)


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